Zero Waste Operator

CookUnity; New York, Northern (NY, KY); Hybrid; USD 20,000 - 29,000; Full time

Job summary

CookUnity is seeking a Sustainability Operator to oversee daily waste‑management procedures at the New York facility. You will support recycling, composting, audits, and donations to ensure clean, compliant waste‑diversion systems.

You will conduct daily walkthroughs, prepare donation materials, monitor contamination, and reinforce correct waste‑sorting behaviors among staff. This is a full‑time role with evening shifts and weekend availability in a fast‑paced kitchen environment.

Qualifications

• Operational experience in warehouse, food production, or similar hands‑on roles.
• Ability to safely lift 20 lbs+ throughout shift.
• Ability to complete daily trackers and simple audit forms.
• Bilingual Spanish and English; basic English required, Spanish a plus.

Responsibilities

• Perform daily waste audits across workstations and document findings.
• Ensure proper waste disposal procedures in all kitchens.
• Classify, weigh, and dispose of food waste including donations and compost.
• Coordinate donation pickups with partner organizations and manage donations.

Skills

Operational Experience

Physical Endurance

Basic Reporting Skills

Bilingual Spanish & English

Communication Skills

Tools

Forklift

Pallet Jack

Google Docs

Job description

Food has lost its soul to modern convenience. And with it, it has lost the power to nourish, inspire, and connect us. So in 2018, CookUnity was founded as the first-of-its-kind platform that connects the world with the source of truly great food: chefs. Today, CookUnity delivers 50 million meals a year from the industry’s best chefs to homes all over the country. Fresh. Ready-to-eat. And crafted with the passion that nourishes body and soul.

Unwilling to stop there, CookUnity is expanding beyond delivery to become an ever‑innovating marketplace focused on our singular mission: empower Chefs to nourish the world.

If that mission has you hungry in more ways than one, you’ve found the right job posting.

About the Role

The Sustainability Operator plays a key role in ensuring that daily waste‑management procedures are executed correctly across the NEW YORK facility. This role supports the operational execution of recycling, compost, waste audits, and donation processes, helping maintain clean, compliant, and efficient waste‑diversion systems.

The Zero Waste Operator is responsible for carrying out daily walkthroughs, completing waste‑audit forms, preparing and coordinating donations, and ensuring correct sorting and disposal of materials in all kitchens and work areas. This role provides essential operational support to the facility by monitoring compliance, identifying contamination, and reinforcing correct waste‑handling behaviors among staff.

Key responsibilities include executing daily waste audits, preparing food waste for donation or internal use, coordinating donation pick‑ups with partner organizations, maintaining Green Stations, and ensuring all supplies needed for proper waste diversion are available and correctly used. This role ensures that Zero Waste procedures are followed consistently and effectively, contributing to CookUnity’s environmental goals and operational priorities.

Summary

Execute daily operational tasks related to recycling, compost, waste audits, and donation management within the LA facility, ensuring compliance with processes and sustainability standards.

Responsibilities

• Daily Waste Audits: Perform daily trash audits across workstations and document findings.
• Correct Waste Disposal: Ensure proper waste disposal procedures are followed in all kitchens.
• Food Waste Handling: Classify, weigh, and dispose of food waste, including donations, compost, garbage, and family meals.
• Facility Walkthroughs — Conduct daily walkthroughs of kitchens, green stations, fulfillment, and market areas; complete the DAILY AUDIT BIN FORM to identify contamination.
• Contamination Control — Check recycling and compost streams to ensure they are free of incorrect materials.
• Material Sorting — Separate and move recyclable and compostable materials according to facility standards.
• Donation Management: Collect, weigh, record, and pack donations; receive partners and hand off prepared products.
• Food Waste Preparation: Condition and prepare food waste for donation or internal reuse (back to market).
• Food Donation support: Coordinate donation pick‑ups with partnered non‑profit organizations.
• Daily Reporting: Complete daily trackers for recycling, compost, and donation volumes.
• Zero Waste Compliance: Follow all safety, cleanliness, and Zero Waste process standards.
• Operational Feedback: Provide daily feedback to staff to reinforce correct waste‑sorting behaviors.
• Green Leader Support: Support team members as a Green Leader, promoting “Go Green” practices.
• Waste Diversion Supplies: Ensure stations have the correct supplies (stickers, posters, bins) for proper waste diversion.
• Green Station Maintenance: Coordinate with the cleaning team to keep the Green Stations clean and in order.

General Schedule and Workdays

Full Time (5 days a week - 36 to 40 hs weekly).

PM shift: 2:00 pm to 10:00 pm.

Available to work on the weekends.

Qualifications

• Operational Experience: Previous experience in warehouse, food production, cleaning, or other hands‑on operational roles. Comfortable working in kitchens, warehouse areas, and food production spaces.
• Physical Requirements: Ability to safely lift and move 20 lbs or more throughout the shift..
• Basic Reporting Skills: Ability to complete daily trackers and simple audit forms.
• Communication Skills: Ability to give clear feedback to staff and communicate deviations or contamination findings. Spanish and English
• Interest in Waste Reduction: Genuine interest in recycling, composting, waste diversion, or environmental practices (no prior experience required).
• Language: Basic English required; Spanish is a strong plus.

JOB REQUIREMENT

• Bilingual – Spanish and English (mainly spoken).
• Basic knowledge of Google Docs.
• Experience operating both: Forklift and Pallet Jack.

CookUnity is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are dedicated to creating a community of inclusion and an environment free from discrimination or harassment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship status, protected veteran status, genetic information, or physical or mental disability.

Compensation

All final pay rates will be determined by candidates experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities of the applicant, internal equity, and alignment with market data.

Pay Range for this position

$18 — $18 USD